Engineer

Job overview
Engineers use nature's energy and materials innovatively to improve the life of humans and to find solutions to problems.

They use their knowledge of science in the expectation that they will help to protect the environment by designing and constructing buildings, developing new processes, tools, machinery and a wide variety of equipment such as engines, electronic circuits, chemical and power plants, roads, bridges and dams.

What do people do in this career?
Engineering covers a wide range of skills and knowledge and this necessitates specialisation.

Most people are familiar with the chemical, electrical, mechanical, civil and mining engineering disciplines, but there are others such as geological, industrial, metallurgical and minerals processing

Engineers?' ?work is very varied and depends on their field of expertise, the nature of their training, their personal preferences and talents and their experience.

Whichever field of engineering they are involved in, engineers?' ?duties are likely to include one or more of the following:- production, design, research and development, construction, maintenance, planning, evaluation, operation and management.

Rapid developments in the field of engineering over the past few years make it almost impossible for engineers to know everything about engineering in general, so they have to specialise in one particular field.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
To be successful engineers must have the ability to solve problems on their own.

They must have a great deal of self-discipline.

Most engineers move into management positions as they gain experience.

They must therefore be able to handle financial matters such as budgeting and cost control.

They must also have the ability to work with people, to lead and motivate them.

What qualifications are needed?
A minimum of a university degree in one of the engineering disciplines.